It’s the second time The News-Gazette has been honored by American Legion Post 24 for proper display of the flag.

Rantoul, former home of Chanute Air Force Base, is proud of its connection to the Tuskegee Airmen. Were it not for segregation, they might be known as the Chanute Airmen.

Gunnery Sgt. Jon Briick ran the stairs at Memorial Stadium three times leading up to Friday, each time counting the steps to make sure he hit 2,000.

  • Updated

“(The missile) means a lot to people,” Chuck Smith tells Rantoul Press Editor Dave Hinton. “We are hoping (the Air Force is) having a change of heart, but there are no guarantees."

The Latest

After a four-month delay caused by COVID-19, Champaign American Legion Post 24 this week resumed its monthly project of spotlighting area businesses for their display of the American flag.

That he’s “older than some of my coaches” is no big deal to Parkland grad Anthony Silkwood. “I just didn’t want to be 35 and sitting at a bar, wondering how good I could have been.”

The 21-gun salutes, flag plantings and ceremonies will mostly be missing from the first national holiday of the ongoing pandemic. So today, we’re bringing the moving words to you. Author, Marine Corps veteran and retired educator Ray Elliott of rural Urbana shared with The News-Gazette the text of a speech he delivered at last May’s Veteran’s Assistance Commission Memorial Day Ceremony at the Champaign County Courthouse.

Scott Rhoton was honored recently by Champaign's American Legion Post 559 Color Guard with a plaque that in part reads: 'We salute you for your commitment to the veterans of our community as we all continue serving God, Community and State.'

While Charles McGee was being recognized by the president during Tuesday’s State of the Union address, many members of his extended family in Champaign-Urbana were glued to the TV.

David Grogan, a retired Navy captain and lawyer who works a day job at the University of Illinois, pursues another vocation in his spare time as an author who builds mysterious international adventures around the fictional Steve Stillwell, whom he describes as 'the lawyer I wanted to be.'

That the easy-to-spot American flag outside the Facilities and Service Building at the University of Illinois is perfectly maintained does not come as a surprise. There are more than 130 veterans working at F&S, after all.

The four veterans honored at Thursday's Quilts of Valor ceremony were Jim Acheson of the Navy, Howard Rhodes of the Illinois National Guard, Ed Kobel of the Air Force and Bob Reifsteck of the Army.

The family wants to invite “anyone who knows him” to Jim Kelly’s 98th birthday bash, set for 4-6 p.m. Dec. 29 at the VFW.

We said bye-bye to Burnham Mansion, the late Great Impasta and those funky eclipse glasses, and welcome to the 44th president, the Pride Parade and a Pesotum farm-playing Luke Bryan. As the clock winds down on the 2010s — and the countdown continues to a new Costco in Champaign, a casino in Danville and A/C at last throughout Central High School

Each month for the past 12 years, Chuck Zelinsky has hand-delivered a plaque to a local business, recognizing proper display of the American flag.

Events scheduled in East Central Illinois in observance of Veterans Day, Nov. 11. If you know of another Veterans Day observation, email news@news-gazette.com and we will publish it online.

The event that starts at 10 a.m. Monday at the VA's Danville campus features 21 entries, including the Danville Police Honor Guard in the lead, the Danville High School Marching Vikings, local fire departments, the Patriot Riders, Lincoln's Challenge cadets and honor guard, fair queens, vintage cars and more.